Grave marker



H. C. WAY- GRAVE IARKER May 23, 1933.

UN MEMQDFRUQDM gwucwto'c (#071 6 H. C. WAY

GRAVE MARKER May 23, 1933.

Filed July 1, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT OFFICE HARBYO. WAY, OF WHEELING, W VIRGINIA.

' GRAVE mun Application filed July 1, 1930.; Serial No. 465,185.

- the same consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, and in themethodemployed to produce certain of the elements of the marker, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illus- 120 trated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In. the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in related views:

Figure leis a front elevation of a grave marker constructed in accordance with my invention. V

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the upper portion of the base of my marker.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through my marker showing certain parts thereof in elevation. v y

. Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. 7

Figure 5 is a vertical. transverse section through my marker.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the finishing plate retaining straps.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of 40 the core blocks. v V

Figure 8 is a plan, view of a mold which may be utilized to form certain of the finishingplates; and

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section through the mold illustrating the manner in which itis used to roduce the blanks from which I if desired, and it may have the .general shape illustrated in the drawings or it may take various other shapes. Y i

In the present instance the base 10 has'suitably secured therein the lower end portions of three rods or bars 11, 11, 11 which extend vertically above the flat top face 12 of the base and constitute anchors for securing core pieces 13, 13, 13, respectively, to the base.

If the base 10 is formed from granite, marble or the like, holes are formed therein to receive the lower ends of the bars 11 and said bars may be secured to the base by pouring molten lead into said holes around said bars,

or the latter may be secured to the base in any other suitable manner. On the other hand, if the base is formed from cementitious material, the bars 11 maybe conveniently embedded therein during the process of constructing the base. In any event, after providing the base with the bars 11, the core pieces 13, which may conveniently consist of cementitious material, and which preferably are individual to the respective bars 11, may be formed around said bars by'means of a suitable mold placed upon the base, or, alternatively, said core pieces may be formed from anyrother suitable material and be secured to the bars 11 in any other suitable manner. a

. The core pieces-13 may vary in number, size and shape, depending, of course, upon the size and shape of the marker. In the present instance the three pieces shown are vertically elongated and of rectangular shape, resting at their lower ends upon the top of the base 10 and disposed in side to side relation with a space 14 between the center piece and each of the outside pieces.

The center piece 13 may have plain flat end and side surfaces, but each of the outside pieces 13, at its front and rear, adjacent to the base, has formed therein a central notch 15 and at its top is provided, preferably, with right angularly extending channels 16 and 17 for the accommodation of side plate retaining straps.

The core pieces 13 are adapted to serve, collectively, as a supporting and retaining body for the upper part of the marker which consists essentially of separate facing plates of glass or other like durable material formed to cover the top, sides and ends of said body.

The front and rear facing plates, designated as 18 and 19, respectively, are, or may be, of substantially duplicate construction, as may the two end plates designated as 20, 21, respectively, while only a single top plate may be employed, or there may be a plurality of such plates disposed in superimposed relation as illustrated in the drawings, these plates being designated as 22.

The front and rear facing plates are connected together by a pair of straps 23, 23 of suitable rust proof metal, said straps being of inverted U-shape as best shown in Figure 6 whereby the plates are held in spaced relation. The vertical legs 24, 24 of said straps are disposed against the inner faces of the respective plates 18 and 19 and are secured to the latter by screws 25 which pass through openings in said legs and are threaded into sleeves 26 embedded in the face plates, the screws extending loosely through the openings in the strap legs to avoid any interference of said screws with contraction and expansion of the face plates and the straps.

"Each leg 24 of each strap is slitted at its lower end to provide a spring tongue 27 which is bent to provide an inwardly directed terminal flange or lip 28 which is adapted to spring into a related notch or recess 15 when the front and rear face plates are moved downwardly over the core pieces 13 and when the lower edges of said face plates engage with the top face of the base 10, the said front and rear face plates thus being held against upward movement. In this connection it will be noted that the lower ends of the legs 24 of the straps are inclusive of portions 29 which extend slightly-below the lower edges of the front and rear face plates to enter channels or recesses 30 formed in the top of the base '10 thus to hold said face platesagainst lateral movement.

Three top plates 22 are'shownin the present instance and these are formed of differ ent sizes to impart an attractive, stepped effect to the top of the marker, the plate of largest size or area being disposed uppermost. This plate is provided with a depending flange 31 which embraces the upper portion of the next lower plate to hold these two plates against edgewise movement relative to one another, and to prevent rain water or the like from entering between said plates, while the second plate is provided with a depending flange 32 serving the same purposes with respect to the third or lowermost plate, and the latter plate is provided with a similar flange 33 for cooperation with the upper edge portions of the front and rear and the end facing plates.

The top plates 22 are secured in superimposed relation and to the front and rear facing plates 18 and 19 by means of screws 34 which pass loosely through openings in the top or leg connecting portions 35 of the straps 23, loosely through the lower and intermediate top plates 22, and into threaded sleeves 36 embedded in the uppermost top plate.

At each end of each of the front and rear face plates is formed a vertically extending, inwardly directed rib or flange 37. The end facing plates 20 and 21 fit neatly between the front and rear facing plates and at their edges abut said ribs orflanges whereby said end plates are held against outward movement.

A strap 38 is secured against the inner face of each end plate by screws 39 which are threaded into sleeves 40 embedded in said plates, and at its upper end each strap is bent to extend laterally inward, as at 41, to be received in the channels 17 of the respective outside core pieces 13, the terminal end portions of said lateral strap portions 41 being bent downward as at 42, to engage the inner upper faces of said outside core pieces thus to assist in maintaining the end facing plates in proper relation to the front and rear facing plates.

At their lower ends the straps 38 extend slightly below the bottom edges of the plates 20, 21 to enter recesses 43 in the top 12 of the base 10 to further assist in maintaining the end plates properly positioned relative to the front and rear plates.

In assembling the heretofore described parts of the marker, the end facing plates 20, 21 are placed between the front and rear facing plates 18 and 19 after the top plates 22 have been secured by means of the straps 23 to the front and rear facing plates and prior to lowering the latter plates over the core pieces 13. Thus, when the assembled top facing plate structure is lowered over the core pieces 13 the said structure becomes interlocked with the core pieces and consequently with the base 10 when the flanges or lips 28 spring into the recess 15.

By reason of forming the core pieces 13 separate from the base and from one another, and by reason of connecting the facing plates with the core pieces by straps in the manner shown and described, the various elements constituting the marker and having different coefiicients of expansion, are permitted to expand and contract without danger of any of the elements being thereby cracked or broken. Moreover, since all exposed portions of the marker are composed of practically indestructible materials, it is manifest that the life of the marker is practically unlimited.

The feature of concealing all fastenings as described and claimed in my prior patent heretofore mentioned is utilized in the present marker, and in this, connection another feature of importance in the present marker resides in the method of forming the facing platesto embed the threaded, screw receiving sleeves therein and to provide embossed or raised lettering or designs on said plates of a different color from the bodies of said plates- In carrying out the method referred to, a mold 44 of suitable size and shape is provided as illustrated for example in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, said mold consisting of a bottom 45 and sides 46. At points where it is desired to have a threaded sleeve embedded in the plate to be formed by means of said mold, the bottom of the latter is provided with pins 47 on which the sleeves are placed, and if it is desired to provide any other forma- I tions in the inner face of the plate, suitably shaped forming pieces are placed within the mold as will be understood. The molten glass of any desired color to constitute the body of the plate then is poured into the mold to a desired depth, and before such molten glass hardens other molten glass of a desired contrasting color is poured onto the first glass to a desired depth to unite with the first glass in a plane parallel to the front and rear faces of the plate as illustrated by the dotted line 48 in Figure 9 of the drawings. The glass then is allowed to harden and thereafter, either while in the mold or after being removed therefrom, portions of the outer glass facing of the plate are removed by a sand blast process or in any other manner to expose portions of the body of the plate of one color and to allow other portions of the facing to remain to constitute embossed letters, designs or the like of a contrasting color. In this way many attractive effects may be obtained.

In connection with the straps 38, it is pointed out that these may be formed with tongues to fit into recesses in the core pieces the same as the straps 23, and in connection with the tongues 27 of the latter straps it will be noted that the inner faces of the facing plates 18 and 19 are recessed as at 49 to permit the tongues 27 to spring outward during the act of engaging the facing plates over the core pieces. The forming of the recesses 48 may, as heretofore indicated, be effected by placing a block 50 of suitable shape at a desired point in the mold 44 prior to pouring the glass therein.

While the facing plates have been described ture to the core.

as being formed of glass, it will be understood, of course, that said iplatesmay be formed from any othersuitable material'capable of being worked in the manner described.

. From theforegoing description considered 1" in: connection with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that the constructionand the advantages of my improved grave marker will be fully understood. It is desired to point out, however, that while I have herein illustrated and described a specific embodiment of my invention, the same obviously is capable of being modified in various respects within the spirit and scope of the invention 2. A grave marker comprising a base, a Q

core extending upwardly from said base, facing plates cooperating to provide an openbottom box-like structure adapted to be placed over said core to enclose same, straps connecting certain of said facing plates together, said core being recessed, and formations on said straps to spring into the recesses in said core to secure the facing plate struc- 3. A gravemarker'comprising a base, a core extending upwardly from said base, facing plates cooperating to provide an open-r bottom box-like structure adapted to be I placed over said core to enclose same, straps connecting certain of said facing plates together, said core and said base being recessed, and formations on said straps to enter the recesses in said core and said base to secure the facing plate structure to the core and the base.

4. A grave marker comprising a base, a core rising from said base, said core being composed of a plurality of spaced members, and afrangible facing plate structure having a coefiicient of expansion different from the coeflicient of expansion of the core enclosing said core and secured to the latter.

5. A grave marker comprising a base, a plural piece core rising from said base, fac-- ing plates disposed at oppositesides of said core, means connecting said facing plates together and with said core, inwardly directed flanges at the ends of said facing plates, and other facing plates disposed between said first mentioned facing plates and held against outward movement relative to said first mentioned plates by said flanges.

6. A grave marker comprising a base having top recesses, a core rising from said base, facing plates at the front, rear, sides and top of said core, said core being recessed, straps connecting an opposite pair of said facing plates, formations on said straps engaging signature.

HARRY C. W AY. 

